Cable grip



1,667,636 A. H. NERO CABLE GRIP April 24, 1928.

Filed June 8, 1925 INVENTOR HR v/n H. NERO ATTORNEYS Patented Apr. 24, 1928.

UNITED STATES 1,667,636 PATENT OFFICE.

aavn) n. NERO, or NEwnnI'rAIN, connnc'rrour, assrenoa to THE mow Emc- TRIO serum, or nanrrozan, CONNECTICUT, a conrona'rron or comcrrcu'r.

CABLE GRIP.

Application filed June 8,

My invention relates to cable grips for pendent fittings, and particularly to fittlngs of the pendent socket or switch. type. The object of my invention is to provide a simple and eflicient cable grip which will afiord efiicient strain relief for the wire connections within .the fitting, and prevent fraying 'of the cable end. I

In the accompanying drawings- Figs. 1, 2'and3 are broken side elevations of pendent sockets of diflerent t pes to which my invention isapplied in 'iferent forms;

Fig. 4 is a perspective of 'the gripplng device unassembled;

Figs. 5 and 6 are broken sections on the lines 5'5, Fig. 2, and 66, 3, respec tively;

Fig. 7 is a broken side elevation of a pendent socket of' still another type illustrating the application of the invention in another form thereto;

r Fig. 8 is a perspective of the crown rlng shown in Fig. 7; and

liner for caps of t 3 and ,7.

In electrical fittings of the pendent type it is desirable to relieve the binding screw e types shown in Figs.

terminals of the suspension strain which is ordinarily taken thereby, incident to the support' of thefitting at the end of the wire cable. Bad electrical conditions frequently result. from defective connections between the wires and the binding terminals due to this cause. The present invention provides a strain-relief device attached to the socket I clamp is shghtly modified in form, .to accommodate it to an all-porcelain or weatherand grippin the wire cable in advance of its entry into t e casing proper of the fitting. While I have shown the invention applied to pendent sockets, its application and adaptation to electric fittings of various sorts, such as pendent switches, connectors, etc., will be obvious to those skilled in the art,

The socket shown in Fig. 1 is in general of common type, comprising an insulating body (not shown) housed within a casing comprising the detachable shell 15 and cap 16 elements'telescopically interfitting and latching in the sleeved area 17 in well understood fashion. The wires 18 and 19 are, as .usual, embedded in a cable 20 which enters the cap portion of the casing. The wire 66 chamber within the cap 16 is lined by a sheet Fig. 9 is a perspective of an insulating- 1928. Serial No. 844,143.

of insulation 21, to prevent contact between bared portions of the wires and the cap 16.

The strain-relief device to which my inventionv pertains is carriedby the cap and comprises an annular base 22 from the outer margins of which extend upstanding arms 23 and 24, shaped at their free ends to form a pair of opposed wiregripping channels 2526. Lugs 27 and 28 on the opposite sides of each channel are pierced-in register to receive the clamp screws 29 and 30, one of the piercings being tapped to the thread of the screw, while the other is plain, to, permit the screw to pass freely therethrough. From the inner margin of thering base 22 projects 'the collar 31 which, when the. ring 22 rests upon the annular seat 32 atthe head of the cap 16, extends beyond the inner face of the seat and is thus adapted to be spread below the latter'to clamp the parts together. r 1

.Within the annular o ening 33 afforded by the ring base 22 of. t e cable grip is arranged an insulating bushing .34, through Y which asses the cable 20 to the interior of the soc et casing. When thecable has been thus inserted and the wires connected to their binding terminals (not shown), the

clamp screws 29 and 30 may be tightened, thus drawing together the two gripping channels 25 and 26 to engage the cable 20 firmly between them. The suspension strain of the fitting istherfore now taken entirel by the cable gri and casing to which it is secured, while t e binding screws are re. lieved from all strain. l

In the construction shown in Fig. 2, the

weather-proof socket. Such a socket com- 55 prises, as shown, a body portion 35 of insulation, and an insulating cap 36 centrally pierced at 37 to admit the cable to the housed wire terminals. Thepresent cable grip is mounted on the outer face of the butten 36. The base ring38 thereof is seated directly against the outer face of the buttonand is clamped in position by a bridge strap 39 which overlies the-base ring 38 and is secured by screwsAO passing through the 106 cap and taking into the ends of the ridge strap. The latter extends between the arms 23 and 24, which are identical with the structure first shown. Thebase rin 38 1s sheared at opposite sides to form ta 4]. ll.

engaged by shoulders 42 of the holding strap casing of difierent type from that shown in' Fig. 1. In this construction the casing comprises shell 45 and cap 46 elements which sleeve but do not latch. Inasmuch as the details of this casing do'not enter into the present invention, they do not need to be described further than to state that the upper insulating button 47 of the sicket is secured to a crown ring 48 (Fig. 8) by screws 49 which take into the tapped foot pieces 50 extending from opposite sides of the ring. The cable grip device is in all essential particulars identical with that shown in Figs. 1 and 4. The ring base 22 of the cord grip overlies. the annular seat flange 51 of the cap 46, which in turn rests uponthe crown rin 48. The neck 31 of the cord grip is spread beneath the crown ring 48 and thus rivets together the cap 46, crown ring 48, and the cord grip. The button 47 of the insulating body of the socket may then be secured to this unit by the screws 49, the heads of the latter being waxed-in to permanently assemble the parts together. The ring 48 corresponds generally, itwill be noted, to the washer 48 beneath which the flange 31 is offset, in Fig. 1.

In the construction shown in Fi 7, still another form of weather-proof socket is illustrated, comprising a porcelain body 52 and an independent cap button '53, which.

carries the same parts as those illustrated in Figs. 3 and 6. In the present form, however, the metal casing cap is substituted by a finishing cap 54 which rests upon the upper face of the button 53 and it engages with the crown ring 48 and cord grip in precisely the same manner as that just described.

The cord grip device in all of the forms indicated is permanently associated with the socket, and the cable cannot enter the socket for proper wirin without passing through the cord grip evice. The latter presents no obstruction to the cable, but in fact serves as a guide which facilitates its roper location. Its gripping action is read- 11y effected by merely turnin down the two clamping screws. The grip is readily struck from a single piece of sheet metal and bent to shape, while at the same time it is rugged. Its attachment to the cap is readily and economically accomplished. In the construction shown in Figs. 3 and 7 it serves the purpose of holding the metal casing cap in position upon the insulating but- 'ton of the socket-a function which must with the general appearance of the socket,

and does not detract from its appearance, particularly when installed.

A further advantage derived. from this construction resides in the fact that it efiectually prevents ravelling of the fabric casing of the cable 20. The best and most workmanlike appearance of the installation is thus assured. 1

Various modifications in details of construction will readily occur to those skilled in the art, without departing from what I claim as my invention.

I claim 7 1. A pendent fitting comprising an element apertured to afford a cable entrance, in combination with a one-piece cable grip comprising a base secured to said fittin element and apertured in alignment wit the cable-entrance, a bushing linin said aperture, and a pair of cable-receiving jaws integral with the base and substantially axially aligned with the cable entrance of said fitting element and in extension thereof, and means for clamping said jaws upon an inserted cable.

2. As an element of a pendent fitting, a cable grip comprising a pair of gripping, jaws adapted to embrace a cable, means for clamping the jaws thereon, a baseinte 9.1 with said jaws, supporting arms exten ing from said base to said aws, and flange means integral with said base for permanently securing. the same to an element of the fitting.

3. 'As an element of a pendent fitting, a cable grip comprisingan apertured base adapted to rest upon a fitting element, a pair of arms ofisetfrom opposite outer margins of the base, and shaped at their free ends to form opposed cable gripping jaws, and.

flange means extending from the inner margins of said base for securing the same to said fitting element.

4. As an element of a pendent fittin a cable grip comprising an apertured ase lying in a plane substantially at right angles to the axis of a cable passing through the aperture in the base, a pair of arms offset from the opposite outer edges of the base and shaped at their free ends to form a clamping neck substantially coaxial with the aperture in thebase, and flange means extending from the inner margin of the aperture in the base for securing the latter td a fitting element.

5. For permanent assembly with a pendent fitting, a cable grip device comprising a sheet metal ring having a securing flange arms being shaped to form clamping jaws, and means for drawin said jaws together to clamp an inserted ca le.

6. For assembly with a member apertured,

to afiord a cable way, a cable grip device comprising a base ring adapted to rest upon said member concentric with said cable way, flange means offset from the inner periphery of said ring for securing the latter to said member, arms extending from the outer peripher of said ring and in opposite direction i icm said securing flange, together with clamping jaws at the free ends of said arms, and means for drawing said jaws into clamping engagement with a cable passing therethrough and through the cable way in said member.

7. A cable grip device comprising a one piece sheet'metal member having a base apertured to accommodate a cable passed therethrough, gripping arms ofiset from the outer marginof said base to engage the cable, and means oifset from the inner margin of said base for attaching the same to an apertured support. 4

' 8. A cable grip device comprising a one piece sheet metal member having a base apertured to accommodate a cable passed therethrough, gripping arms offset from the outer margin of said base to engage the cable, and means ofiset from the inner margin of said base for attaching the same to an apertured support, together with an inde endent bushing having a flange overlyin gald base and lining the aperture in sai ase.

9. An electric fitting comprising a mem ber apertured to afiord a cableway and shaped to afford a seat around said cableway, in combination with a one-piece cable grip having a base resting on said seat and apertured in register with said cableway, a neck extending from the inner margin of said base into the cableway, grippin arms offset from the outer margin of said base to engage an entering cable, and means for securing said cable grip to said member of the fitting.

10. An electric fitting comprising a mem ber apertured to afford a cableway, a onepiece sheet metal cable gri having a base secured to said fitting mem er at the cable way and apertured to accommodate a cable passed therethrough, gripping arms extending from said base to en age a cable in advance of its entry to the thug, and an insulating bushing lining the base of said cable grip without impeding the function of said gripping arms.

i In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

ARVID H. NERO. 

